Expert panel to examine projects without environment clearance

Centre is planning to set up an expert panel to examine projects for which environment clearance (EC) is sought after starting the work on ground.
The panel will give clearance to such projects after taking assurance on remedial measures for any environmental loss and possible violations, as per the proposal.
Such a plan is being thought of as the Environment Ministry has received some proposals seeking approval for 'Terms of References' and 'Environmental Clearance' for projects which have started work on site, expanded production beyond the limit of EC or changed the product mix without obtaining prior EC.
In a draft notification issued in this regard for public comments within 60 days, the Ministry said that the government will treat those projects or activities for which EC is being obtained after starting the work on ground as "cases of violation".

The Ministry has proposed setting up of an expert group to examine such cases for grant of EC with a condition to implement an Environmental Supplemental Plan (ESP) to remediate the damage caused or likely to be caused, and take out undue economic gain due to non-compliance and violation.
In absence of expert group at any state, the case will be appraised at the ministry level, the notification said.

The Expert Group would prepare an ESP for restoration of the damage caused to the environment and for further improvement of the environment.
"The project proponent shall give the consent for implementation of the ESP under the monitoring of the Expert Group, and satisfactory implementation of the ESP shall form one of the specific conditions of the environmental clearance," the notification said.

"The Government of India enacted the Environment
(Protection) Act in 1986 with the objective of providing protection and improvement of the environment. But, no states, including Kerala, have implemented it effectively so far, despite instructions by Supreme Court in the MC Mehta case," Thomas said.
Even though corruption manifests in several forms, at several levels and at several degrees and impact, it turns into an organized crime when it comes to obtaining pecuniary gains from exploiting natural resources, the official said.
"Often environment degrading actions are perpetrated through abuse of power by some public servants in the departments concerned in collusion with the private interests disregarding the natural resources," Thomas said.

He said corruption-linked-environmental value eroding activities thriving in the state include licensing of pollution testing centres that do not check effectively air pollution from vehicles, registering of lower standard vehicles, insufficient water sample testing, use of forest/leased land for non-agricultural or non-forestry purpose and encroachment of land for constructing buildings.
Unscientific felling of trees, quarrying and mining, sand mining in ports, and rivers, unpermitted filling of lands, paddy or wetlands and cutting of mangroves also fall in this category, he added.
Under ERV initiative, he said "Notices will be sent to all the department heads at district level or nodal officer or the competent authority of each of the categories of natural resources or environmental risks producing activities, based on vigilance intelligence observations."

The agency recently launched a major initiative in the environment sector-the verification of the illegal quarrying at Mukkunnimala near here. VACB is proposing to develop partnership with various stakeholders in their mission.
The VACB director visited the quarry site at Mukkunnimala earlier this week, conducted an inspection and decided to carry out a survey before September 18 to take stock of the illegal encroachments by the quarry lobby.